The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-12-03
UNIVERSALIST AND METHODIST
STATISTICS ONCE MORE.

The person who attempts any state
ment in regard to the statistics of the
Universalist church, or our own statis-
tics in contrast with other denomina-
tions, excellent as he may regard his
knowledge of figures, and carefully as
he may strive to set forth his facts, is
always in peril from veteran OBJ
server" residing at Manchester, N. H.,
Rev. DR.. Demarest, the Secretary of
our General Convention. He is pos
lively prepared at any time to examine
these essays at statistics with the full
est and freshest knowledge at COM
mand; and wo be to the individual,
man or woman, Methodist or Universal
list, editor or correspondent, who devil
ates even in the slightest degree from
the cold facts of figures
We have just now to submit DIR. Dem
arrests revision of the figures presented
in THE UNIvERsALIsT fortnight ago
in reference to Universalist and Method
list gifts for missionary enterprises. The
precise facts are somewhat different
from those given by US, but not enough
so to destroy the special point of our
article, !. e., that Universalist generos
ity for the missionary work does not
suffer in comparison with that of the
Methodists. Even with the correction
offered by DR.. Demarest, it seems that
the Methodist church membership Of
the United States gives $500 as the
individual contribution per year for
"church expenses and missions in all
FORMS" while our church members are
reported as giving $25.46 each. And
figuring on the basis Of possible fami-
lies in both communions the record is
seen as also largely in our favor. DR..
Demarest's communication follows:
To the E iitor Of the Universalist:
have read your article on Universal
list and Methodist missions with much
pleasure The only criticism I make is
on the three lines zen this record
would appear more encouraging if we
took into the table the gifts through our
State Conventions" These were includ-
ed in my estimate. See Report OF Board,
p. 5: $47,314. The gifts for missions
alone. find, on looking at the figures to
be $4O2 less than that: $46. 912; or, lest
the State Secretaries include some gifts
not for missions, say $4,000.
But | see in the Independents report
of the proceedings OF the Methodist mis-
sionary Committee that no Conference
gave less than 80 cents per member. This
has led me to look up the figures, and
I End that the clainftis 5,612, 23S Metho-
dists in the world; 41l1,213 in the United
States; but of these 1.939,O08 in the Meth
odst Episcopal church, so called. The
report in the Methodist year book, for
1887, shows:
Paid for ministerial support. -. $7911,176
Paid for church pro osrty and care 6,365,629
Paid for missions ................ 1,27O030
Paid for Sunday schoos and tracts 34,107
Total. Observation-Disclosures. SIS. $50, 1862
This divided among the 1889 008 men,
bers gives $8.04 per church member, for
church expenses and missions in all
forms. The same items show for Uni
versalists:
Ministerial support and other cur
rent expenses. ............... SS7, 1872
Church property and debts. 192.06l
Missions. Observation-Disclosures. $4,000
Iotai. '.................... $9zf,z43
Divided among church members re-
ported, gives $25.46 cash. Surprising
we ought to have twice as many men,
bers to bring us in line with the Metho-
dist families, then the expenditure for
these purposes would be $I2.73 each; or
if three times as many, $S.49. I don't
wish to disparags the Methodist church
or its generosity. 10 some quarters it is
very rich; in others it may be very poor.
1 know our people haven't done what
they might. trust they will soon come
up 'to the measure Of their ability" if not
to that Of their opportunity.